Semi OT -- Stephanotis -- To Buy or Not to Buy?

14 years ago

Hi Folks,

Am wondering whether or not to buy a plant I just saw. Whether it's a good buy or not as I honestly don't know. What I DO know is this plant doesn't show up too often & I've lusted after one for years. I DO currently have 4 seedlings of it grown from last August, but still they're just seedlings.

It's a Stephanotis, I saw 2 of them in pots btwn 6-8" diameter, about a foot tall, hooped onto a trellis, full of blooms for $30 each.

Am assuming this is good (as it's not a common finding around here) even if a bit pricy? Opinions please?

TIA,

(PG) Karen

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Comments (25)

Denise
14 years ago
Karen,

I've seen them but don't know much about them. They're gorgeous plants, that's for sure! Did you start your seedlings yourself?? I can't grow anything from seed!

Denise in Omaha
puglvr1
14 years ago
Hi PG,

I have one of those...my very first! I have also been looking for one for a while and was very fortunate to find after many, many phone calls to all the nurseries/big box stores. It wasn't in the best of health when I purchased it, so I was able to bargain and got a price discount(some of the leaves were yellowing). I've had it for a few months...it hasn't flowered for me yet, maybe fall?

My vote is Yes! I think you should get it, IMHO. I'm not a good judge on prices of this plant since I've never seen them available here before, except that one time, but if its full of blooms...$30 doesn't seem that unreasonable? Please let us know and post pics "if" you decide to buy it...good luck!

Here's mine...

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:950002}}
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User
Original Author
14 years ago
Well Denise,

BTW, I owe you an EM, I DID get your note etc., thanks so much!!! So thoughtful of you to include the pic of Kara & Quilt, really made me absolutely beam with satisfaction.

Actually, I guess our recent non-plant venture just treated me to this Stephanotis, 'cause I bought it. Found out it was the last one in the shop & I could not resist, (vendor told me he'd had 8, I thought he'd had just 2). I think he may have gotten these especially for Mother's Day.

He held this for me long enough to go to the bank & would not lower the price, he said he paid $26 for it himself. It's got 5 gorgeous about-to-open clusters of bloom, and one more still developing. It's positioned near the foot of my bed, when the blooms open it's gonna smell FABULOUS!!!

I need to clear some space on my hard drive before I take any pix of it; it's gorgeous -- I simply could NOT resist! Am doubly happy to say it looks pristine, healthy & beautiful, very healthy.

As to the seeds, yes, they're my surviving 4 seedlings from seeds Cena sent me last summer. I don't grow much from seed, but I experimented. Most had germinated: I tried these in 3 different settings; unfortunately 2 of 3 of my setups dried out. These are the survivors, they're abt 4" tall.

(My) Hoya no ID (Shep & Ceropegia sandersonii (on the right))

to show you the C. sandersonii, as you'd said yours tends to drop its leaves, mine doesn't; this is the edge of a west window

C. sandersonii on right, esp. the new, lt, green leaves
User
Original Author
14 years ago
OH, & I neglected to say the seedlings live under a small glass globe most of the time. I guess when they get too tall, I'll have to find another cover.

Hey Pug,

Glad you voted yes, I should buy it, as when I post pix, I think you ladies will agree, I scored big time!!

Yours looks good to me from here Pug, I don't see yellowish & further, looks nicely glossy green & reminiscent of citrus!
Denise
14 years ago
Pug - what kind of care does Steph take? Do you need any special conditions, or does it thrive in the same conditions as Hoya? I've often been tempted, but they look so...tropical!

Karen - ok, so I'm pretty darned sure now that the Ceropegia I got from you is sandersonii, and the one I had before that lost all it's leaves (as they developed) was NOT. Does yours bloom? Mine hasn't as yet, so I put it in a super-high light position in my GH to see if it will. After all - it's about those weird-and-wild flowers when it comes to Ceropegias!!

Denise in Omaha
User
Original Author
14 years ago
No, mine hasn't bloomed yet. Tho' recently I found in the house some fertilizer spikes of fish emulsion which I apparently bought at an Indoor Gardening Mtg. So I stuck a couple each (per directions & the pot size) in each pot: The no ID (Shep w/ the 7 penduncles who live to tease me)) & the C. sandersonii. This is west window -- best light I can give it (in some photos where I put in magenta towel).

Am hoping they like fish emulsion!
puglvr1
14 years ago
Thanks PG! Actually the picture I posted...I just took today. When I got it(feb), actually an early Valentine's gift from DH...I did all the legwork finding it(he doesn't know anything about plants), he told me you find one and its yours, lol...When I got it, some of the leaves were marred, had some brown spots, and some of the leaves were yellowing! I gave it lots of TLC, good soil and three months later, it is looking much healthier.

Denise, I have been giving them the same care as most of my Hoyas. I grow mine outside under the same Oak trees, that my hanging hoyas are. They get appx. 2-3 hours of early morning sun and afternoon shade. I water them when they are almost dry and I have them in similar soil as my Jades and Succulents. I've been giving them a weak fertilizer appx. every two weeks.

PG, looking forward to pictures! Glad you bought it! I've been told this one is very fragrant, let us know?
User
Original Author
14 years ago
OK folks,

I just couldn't resist the pix -- takes forever tho'. I will take more during daylight some other time. Here's the first pix:

{{gwi:86169}}

{{gwi:86170}}
puglvr1
14 years ago
VERY NICE PG!! It looks very healthy and look at all those Blooms! I would say you made the right choice buying it...Its Beautiful!! Let us know how you lke the fragrance? I've heard its wonderful!! Right up there with Gardenias.
PRO
SRQHoyas
14 years ago
I have the green and the varigated Stephanotis climbing up my swing/trellis outside. They were $20 for 3 gallon plants. They bloomed once and smelled wonderful but I have them in part shade so I doubt they will thrive as I hoped. They seem to be very easy to maintain and even survived the 'cold' winter we just went thru.
Have fun...they are very easy and attractive too!
Denise
14 years ago
Oh, that IS pretty! I may have to see if I can find one for myself. Be sure to post a photo when they open!

Denise in Omaha
teree
14 years ago
Hi! I noticed Gardino's has these in 1 gal pots for $15.00 and s&h for my area was $20. They also have 3 gal size but I am sure shipping would be quite pricey. I buy hoyas there and I am always so pleased with my purchases!
quinnfyre
14 years ago
I had one of these. It was a little picky. I believe it likes to stay moist, but not wet. If it got too dry or too wet, it would start getting yellow leaves that would then drop off. It's very attractive, though. I might try it again, now that I water more consistently. I believe it is also a slow grower, so getting a blooming sized one was a good idea.

The only thing stopping me is that I haven't been able to smell one yet. I've seen it at shows, and sniffed the open blooms, and smelled nothing. The first time, it wasn't just me; a lady next to me also said she smelled nothing. The second time, someone next to me said they smelled heavenly. I still didn't detect a smell. I'm worried I might be one those people who can't smell this one, and how disappointing would that be? I have no problem smelling other fragrant white flowers, so perhaps these were not very fragrant varieties, but it gives me pause.

I'm hoping I'm able to smell my hoyas just fine. It's gonna be a while, though. I'm glad I like them a lot even out of bloom.
User
Original Author
14 years ago
Well those blooms are starting to open; I'm charging the camera batteries ...

One cluster opened last evening & is nicely fragrant, I can smell it in passing.

Another cluster is opening & a third just starting to peek open.

A relief, I picked off 2 yellowing buds & had gotten concerned, but it seems to be fine. I'll put up pix in the next couple of days.

It's been a week, I've got to water it ... tad nervous here.

Thoughts on watering while blooming pls. anyone?
User
Original Author
14 years ago
So I've taken a few pix, white blooms w/out much details, tough to see. I took pix first then watered.

{{gwi:86171}}

Nice fragrance but not as strong as I'd expected. The tiniest cluster of young buds ( were still developing) yellowed & dropped off.

{{gwi:86172}}

The 3rd cluster is starting to open, these blooms don't open very far, I thought I recall seeing the blooms wide open, but not on this one.

{{gwi:86173}}

Nice, but somehow not as fabulous as I'd expected ... hum ...
greenchic
14 years ago
Hi Pirate Girl,

I think your Steph is beautiful! Its now on my wish list! Im having a love/hate affair with gardenia right now and am on the lookout for something pretty, scented and easy to care for in the home. There's just something about dark glossy leaves and creamy white flowers that makes me go aaahhh....
User
Original Author
14 years ago
Well thanks. As you may have already discovered, Gardenias are NOT easy, especially indoors w/out a greenhouse.

Am hoping this is not a difficult plant, but I didn't expect it's an 'EASY' one.
gootziecat
14 years ago
I'm bumping this up because I just discovered Stephanotis and would like to know how they are fareing as a houseplant, and what sort of treatment they are receiving.
I have hoyas, and so far, doing ok with them.
Thanks,
Sande
puglvr1
14 years ago
Sande, I've had mine outside since I bought it last Feb. except a couple nights of frost warnings. It loves the Fl heat and humidity, growing like crazy...but NO blooms as of yet. Wonder if this will be a fall bloomer for me? I care for it just like I do my Hoyas, water when almost dry and fertilize every couple of weeks. I don't have it in full sun, maybe an hour in the early morning. Its underneath some trees in the shade most of the day.

You should get one, it reminds me a lot of hoyas...I am constantly wrapping the vines, the growth habit is very similar to most of my hoyas. I just wish it will flower for me this year.
gootziecat
14 years ago
Thanks, Pug. I've been reading a lot about their being prone to mealybugs and spidermites, but I read that about hoyas too before I got them. It almost scared me off.
Sande
User
Original Author
14 years ago
Hey Gootzie,

I'm doing OK indoors in my apmt w/ the Steph whose pix are shown above. Blooms all gone, I'm a bit antsy about the mix they came in. It's hardening off, so last wknd, I took it out of the pot, basically came right out, a hardish rootball, kind of rootbound winding around the bottom a bit.

I roughed up the rootball tips & spread the rootball open a bit to try & increase access by water 'til I decide how to care for it further.
gootziecat
14 years ago
I love fragrant plants, hence my original interest in hoyas. I decided to purchase a Steph on ebay. My only concern is if it becomes unhappy and gets bugs that it will spread to my hoyas, now that I have a nice sized collection.
Ladies, how do you care for your Steph indoors, ie, light, fertilizer, etc. I can read this by doing a search, but I'd rather hear from hoya people.
Since it grows quickly and gets rather large, I'm debating whether to put it in hydroton or a soil combination. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thanks.
Sande
golden_ca_2000
14 years ago
Well - I grow mine in a east garden window in the kitchen. It seems to grow like a weed - actually so much so that I gave my largest one away to my mother who is now got it growing outside for the summer only. I find my stephanotis seems to really like my garden window in the summer - I guess cause it gets a fair amount of direct sun there and in the winter it gets pretty cold - probably about 50 or so. And I am POSITIVE that is why mine always flowers again so readily for me after the cold winter is over. I have always used african violet fertilizer on my step too. Actually I just bought myself my newest steph. this year in spring and it was in flower. I put it directly into my garden window which again was fairly cool - and now it is just about to reflower again for me. I guess I fooled it into thinking it was winter again. And now that its warming up - flowers! :0) Hope that somewhat helped.
Golden
gootziecat
14 years ago
Thanks Golden for the information. Do you dilute your AV fertilizer?

PirateGirl, it sounds like you need a bigger pot. :)

Sande
golden_ca_2000
14 years ago
Sande
No... I basically just drop in a few drops - I never really go by the instructions really - I probably give far more than I should - Even my annuals in the front yard - I always over do it a bit - lol.

Semi OT -- Stephanotis -- To Buy or Not to Buy?

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